Coalition to Call on Candidates to Protect Charitable Deduction

The has announced that it will contact every presidential candidate in the 2016 election cycle and urge them to support the full preservation of the charitable deduction.

In a (3 pages, PDF) signed by forty-four nonprofit organizations, the coalition calls on presidential contenders to preserve "the full scope and value of the charitable deduction."

"The charitable deduction is unique among itemized deductions in that it promotes a selfless act and encourages taxpayers to donate more funds to charities than they would otherwise give," the letter states. "Proposals that would impose a cap, a floor, or any other limits on the deduction would impede the effectiveness of this vital incentive to give back to communities."

The letter further notes that in addition to providing communities with at least $2.50 in benefits for every $1 in tax benefits to the donor, the nonprofit sector employs one in ten U.S. workers and generates some $1.1 trillion annually in the form of jobs and services. According to the coalition, which was formed in 2009 to fight proposed caps on the charitable deduction, "[l]imiting the value of the charitable deduction would inhibit the ability of charities to serve individuals and communities across the country. As charities struggle to raise additional funds to meet increased demands for their services, we ought to encourage Americans to be more generous, not send a signal that giving is less important."

The letter's signatories include , the , the , the , , , , the , , and .